A PENSIONER said she was ‘fighting for her life’ when a man broke into her home and repeatedly punched her in the face, a court heard.

Portsmouth Crown court heard Clive Franks used a brick to smash a window into the 87-year-old’s home in Havant before assaulting her.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard Clive Franks used a brick to smash a window into the 87-year-old's home in Havant before assaulting her

Prosecutor Ellie Fargin said Franks, 43, forced the woman to the floor holding her upper arms.

Reading the victim’s statement, Ms Fargin said: ‘I thought he was going to kill me, it was survival, I wasn’t going to go without a fight.’

Paranoid schizophrenic Franks, of no fixed address, attacked the woman over a ‘grudge’ that he believed he had against the woman.

At an earlier hearing Franks was declared unfit to plead and was not at the trial.

His behaviour represents a significant risk not only to himself but also to other members of the public and in particular the subject of his delusional belief that they are some how people against whom he has some sort of grudge.

Recorder John Trevaskis

It meant that the jury in trial was asked to find if he ‘did the acts’ of assault by beating and sexual assault.

The jury took just 50 minutes to decide he did the acts of the assault, but not the acts in the sexual assault.

Ms Fargin said the victim suffered bruising above her left eye, a cut to her nose, bruising to her upper arms, and cuts from shattered glass to her lower left arm, legs, back and feet.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, fought by kicking back in the terrifying early-hours ordeal.

Ms Fargin said: ‘She said she was fighting for her life. He then put his hand over her mouth.’ Ms Fargin added: ‘She later remembered that when she was screaming he punched her over the face.’

The pensioner was alone at her kitchen table having a cup of tea when she heard the smashing glass when it happened last year.

In interview, Franks had said to the police about the incident: ‘Honestly to God it wasn’t a sexual thing’.

He told police he had been homeless for 15 months and that people do not get help without committing a crime.

In the interview he said: ‘This just ain’t fair.

‘I know it’s not fair for the woman. It seems to me you have to commit crime these days just to get any help.’

The court also heard he was living rough in a tent and youths set fire to it.

Recorder John Trevaskis imposed a hospital order under section 37 of the Mental Health Act, with restriction under section 41.

Franks’ release from hospital would require approval by the secretary of state.

Mr Trevaskis said: ‘His behaviour represents a significant risk not only to himself but also to other members of the public and in particular the subject of his delusional belief that they are somehow people against whom he has some sort of grudge.’

Investigating officer Detective Constable Pete Bambury said the victim had recovered physically since the attack on November 14 last year.

He added: ‘But she’s still shaken up and still has to relive these events in her mind every single day.’

A boot print linked Franks to the house. He was stopped after but arrested another day.